Mr. Nance S Classroom Schedule

July 30th, 2015

Mr. Nance ([email protected]) ext. 6370

Welcome to Mr. Nance’s 4th grade class! I am very excited about the new school year and look forward to working with my new students. This will be my eighth year of teaching at Hickory Elementary. I previously taught 4th grade in Decatur Township. I was a graduate of the University of Indianapolis where I studied Elementary Education and played soccer. This will also be my 6th season as the varsity soccer coach for the girl’s team at Avon High School. I look forward to working with my students this year and helping them grow academically. Mr. Nance’s Classroom Schedule

8:50-9:05- Morning Work

9:05-9:40 – Math Block 1

9:40-10:30 - Specials- Monday- Music, Tuesday- Art, Wednesday- Library/Computers, Thursday-PE, Friday- Fab Friday

10:35-12:15- Language Arts (Spelling, Reading, Language, or writing)

12:15-12:40-Lunch

12:40-12:55- Recess

1:00-1:35 - Math Block 2

1:35-2:30- Social Sciences

2:30-3:00- Student Success

3:05-3:30- Writing/Brain Breaks/Finish up activities

3:30-3:40- Pass out HW and papers to go home, clean room, lineup for dismissal Mr. Nance’s Classroom Highlights and procedures

- Each student will be required to keep a daily planner. They will need to come in each day and write the date and homework along with important reminders or notes from the teacher. Students will receive a stamp each day that they correctly fill out their planner in the morning. Students will need to keep track of how many stamps they have collected because increments of twenty will allow the student to receive a free homework pass. The planners do NOT need to be signed each night but it would be a good idea to check your child’s planner each night to make sure they are staying on top of things. The planners are also a great source of communication between parents and the teacher because each page has a spot for notes or questions.

- Specials Schedule: Monday- Music, Tuesday- Art, Wednesday-Media, Thursday-PE, Friday- Fab Friday.

- The students will work in Literacy work stations throughout the school year. Some examples of topics for the stations will be word work, writing, fluency practice, spelling, and leveled reading. Students may be asked to work independently, with partners, or with groups. The stations work will not only help students improve literacy concepts but it will help them learn teamwork.

- Students will practice a specific spelling pattern each week. We will create words that follow the pattern on Monday. The students will have a pretest on Tuesday. This will help with groupings for spelling practice at stations throughout the week. The spelling posttest will be on Friday.

- Language Arts/Reading comprehension tests will usually be on Friday’s but may be used as take-home tests some weeks. We will use our MH reading series and each student has a reading/writing workshop book as well as a literature anthology book. I will put our key vocabulary words on the weekly newsletter. Students can practice the words at home. The tests will cover vocabulary, spelling patterns, and comprehension.

- Students will sit with their teams each week and will be given opportunities to earn team points. They can earn points by showing good behavior, working quietly, following directions carefully, and doing an overall great job. They can also lose points if not following the rules as a team. Points will be added up throughout the week and the winning team will be allowed to choose classroom jobs for the next week. The classroom jobs hold the students accountable and give them a sense of responsibility.

- We will have many hands-on Social Science activities throughout the school year. We will be using our science kits each week. The kits involve lessons over electricity and magnetism, the earth’s surface, animal and plant structures, and motion and design. Hands on activities are a great way to learn through real-life experiences. We will be using science journals to record and write about what we learned.

- All students at Hickory Elementary will work in Student Success groups each day throughout the school year. They will work on reading comprehension and fluency strategies while in their leveled groups. The goal of Student Success is to give the student more support for improvement with reading skills. Student Success will start in a few weeks.

- Homework will be assigned each night to the students except for on weekends. They will usually have one or two assignments that they will need to complete at home along with studying and preparation for tests and quizzes.

 Learning basic multiplication facts is a big part of 4th grade! Students will be taking Minute tests on Friday’s throughout the school year. They will have twenty five questions that they will need to answer in one minute starting with their two’s. When students get the multiplication questions all correct then they will move up a number and work all the way until they reach their twelves. They will then be rewarded with a special treat! The minute tests will start this Friday and will continue throughout the school year.

 The students will use the reading chart each time that they read a book at their specific level throughout the school year. The students will get a sticker for reading a book and then writing a summary over what they have read. After five stickers the students will be rewarded with a ticket from Mr. Nance.

 Communication is very important and our class website will be used to display important info such as homework, spelling lists, etc. You can also contact me any time through email since I am by computer all day. My address is [email protected] and the phone extension here at Hickory is 6370. - Email List Sign up sheet is on the table. This will help with communication as I can put together a class email list. I will send weekly emails with important information as well as our newsletter.

- Food Service Policy- Fast food and soda will not be served in the cafeteria. Parents are welcome to have lunch with students. Be sure to sign in at the office.

- Behavior Management- We will use numbered sticks and cups for behavior management. Each student will have their classroom number on a stick and it will start in the green cup each day. If a student is not following classroom rules or showing bad behavior then they will be asked to move their stick into the yellow cup. This means that the student will have to miss 5 minutes of recess. If a student has to move a stick again then they will put it in the blue cup. Students will have to miss 10 minutes of recess and a behavior notice will be sent home. If a student has to move their stick for a third time before recess to the red cup then they will not have recess and we will call home to discuss the behavior with parents. If it goes past red then that could lead to suspension or detention.

- Good Behavior Tickets- A student can receive a ticket by going a week keeping their sticks in the green cup. They can exchange this ticket for a prize from the treat box. Students can also earn tickets for having good behavior throughout the day.

- Language Arts Objective Board- The objectives for the week such as skills and strategies that we will be working on will be posted on the board at the front of the room. I will also post the spelling pattern and the vocabulary words for study. We may even post students work. This will give the students a chance to see what our focus will be each day.

- Math- We will be using Envision series this year during our math lessons. We will also be working daily in differentiated math stations. Students will have a routine and will get plenty of support.

- Social Studies- Focus in 4th grade is Indiana history. Students will learn about our state through fun activities and possible field trips to the Indiana State Museum, Indiana Statehouse, and the OLC for Pioneer Day. - Hickory Resources- Students can go to Hickory Resources on our school website to access links to math, reading, and keyboarding practice websites.

- Power Parent- This will be used to give parents access to grades, attendance, and information. Information will be secure. Directions for getting started are on the page attached.

Reminders to Turn in

*Volunteer Background Check documents

*Student Transportation Form

*Photo/Publication/Internet Usage Form- Only sign the denial of internet portion if you wish to not allow our child to access internet programs.

*PTO Helping Hands Form